Social Media Detox: 13 Ways to Wean Yourself Off Social Media

The minute you wake up, you’re checking Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat… need I say more? Looks like you’re in need of a social media detox.

You may not notice it until one day, while out with your friends, you’ve realized you have yet to actually talk to any of them. You’re too busy seeing what everyone else is doing on social media, who’s with who and where you should be. When you get to the point where you can’t go an hour without checking your phone, you know you have a problem and need a social media detox.

Your social media detox guide

Okay, so you know that you need a social media break, but how do you actually do it? It’s easier said than done. But don’t worry, you can take a quick social media detox to get you back on track and live your life without being glued to your phone.

Every now and then we need to cleanse the soul from our phones. Here’s how to do it.

#1 Turn off your phone while you sleep. This is the worst thing. If your phone’s dinging away while you sleep, you may find yourself waking up throughout the night to check your phone. You need to sleep. So, either turn your phone off, or keep it on silent. That way, you can focus on what’s important – sleeping. [Read: Why social media is killing your relationship]

#2 No phones at the table. When you’re eating dinner, eat dinner. Put your phone away and look at it after you’re done. You need to focus on what’s happening in front of you. You know, eating and conversing with the people around you. Cherish those moments because they are what count. That’s a big part of social media detox.

#3 Notifications? Turn them off. It’s so annoying when you hear someone else’s phone constantly dinging when they receive a notification. On top of that, it keeps you distracted from what’s happening in front of you. Turn the notifications off. They’re annoying and you don’t need them.

#4 Schedule your posts. Make a time every day where you’ll post something on Facebook or Instagram. If not, you’ll find yourself scrolling through these pages, finding things to post throughout the day. Keep your social media schedule disciplined. [Read: 8 annoying social media users that make you wanna scream]

#5 Don’t mix work with social media. If you’re working, then work. Don’t mix your work with social media or else you’ll find yourself becoming easily distracted. Try to keep those two separate. If not, you’ll find yourself focusing more on social media than at what you’re getting paid to do.

#6 Stay busy. When you have nothing to do, that’s when you spend countless hours scrolling through Instagram and Facebook. That’s when the addiction starts. You fill your empty time with this meaningless activity. So, instead, stay busy. Do you have four hours of free time a day? Take a yoga class.

#7 Back off with sharing. You don’t need to Snapchat you walking your dog or what you had to eat for lunch. No one cares. But actually, no one cares. So, understand that you posting this doesn’t change anyone’s life. If you feel that you have to post something, then do it once a day. That’s it. [Read: Social media and relationships – The good, the bad, and the ugly]

#8 Uninstall social media apps. If you’re having troubles staying off of social media apps, then delete them off of your phone. You can keep your accounts active, unless, they too, are a distraction. But in the beginning, just delete the apps, that way, you’ll have nothing to look at. [Bustle.com: I quit all social media a year ago and my life improved drastically]

#9 Have social media guilty pleasures? Do you spend hours on Reddit? It’s okay to have these social media guilty pleasures, but you need to know when is enough. Put an alarm on your phone for ten minutes and allow yourself that time to scroll through Instagram or Pinterest. When that alarm goes off, guilty pleasure time is over.

#10 Reply to everything in a batch. Midday, during your coffee break, just reply to all the messages on your phone. Emails, texts, Whatsapp – reply to everything. And then put your phone away. You don’t need to have a long conversation about some crap that doesn’t matter. [Read: Dangers of social media – Why it makes you feel really insecure]

#11 Cut your creeping. If you’re used to creeping specific people all the time, how about we cut that creeping time in half. You don’t actually have to see what they’re doing all the time. They’re living their life, as should you.

#12 Tell your friends you’re taking a break. If your friends are used to you texting them every two minutes, then you need to tell them that you’re taking a break from social media. That way, they understand why you’re not talking to them as much and they also know to back off a bit with the messaging. [Read: How to be cultured in an age obsessed with social media]

#13 It’s okay to be bored. Really, it’s okay to be bored. Sit in silence for once in your life. Think about your day, take some deep breaths, talk to yourself, sing to yourself.

You don’t always have to be occupied with a GIF or a Facebook convo with some guy you don’t really like. Use your time to daydream and think about things that aren’t encouraged by social media.

[Read: The happy couple’s guide to social media etiquette]

Now that you know what you need to do, take the next step and start your social media detox. It’ll be hard in the beginning, but then you’ll notice how free you are without your phone.

The post Social Media Detox: 13 Ways to Wean Yourself Off Social Media is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.